


Seclusion

by watsky



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Deaf Character, HOH character, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-09-16 05:02:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16947495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watsky/pseuds/watsky
Summary: In a place where you’re not supposed to show weakness, it’s hard to be hard of hearing. Catra x Reader.





	Seclusion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheBrain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBrain/gifts).



> i've never written catra before hope she's not too ooc lol

In your home, you were well taken care of. You were happy, healthy, and accepted for who you are. You had friends, and family, and they were patient if you needed something repeated.

When the Horde conquered your corner of Etheria, you were younger. They ransacked your village, they killed your loved ones, they burned your buildings and kidnapped the children. You were among those young that were taken, and became the newest recruits to the Evil Horde’s army training. 

You quickly learned that you wouldn’t be taken care of. You would no longer be happy, healthy, or accepted. You no longer have friends, or family, and you’re scared to ask for things to be repeated. 

You need to hide your perceived weakness.

So, you lay low. You act like your hearing is just like the others, fearful that if the truth is discovered, you’ll meet the same fate that your home town did. The Horde is harsh, and if you slip up, they don’t assume you’re hard of hearing. They assume you’re dumb, and treat you like an idiot, disrespecting and downright _abusing_ you for not understanding your instructions on the first try. You take it in stride, trying to stay tough, trying to be brave, trying to stay alive.

It works, for a few years.

You’re an adult, now. You’ve been in the Horde since childhood, training and learning to be ruthless. Your hands are calloused and rough. Your skin is riddled with scars from when training got a bit _too_ rough. As you rise through the ranks of your training group, it’s getting harder to hide your secret. Your superiors are paying more attention to you, and you have to try your damnedest to make sure you hear every word. It’s the most difficult when multiple people are talking to you; if you don’t look at someone, head turned to the other speaker, you’ll miss what the first is saying. It’s tough and trying, but you’re surviving.

They promote you to Force Captain. You’re floored, and terrified. Of course, you can’t reveal that, so you pin your new badge to your shirt with shaky hands. With a deep breath to calm yourself, you salute, and are dismissed.

Force Captain orientation goes smoothly, and before you know it, you’re being sent on missions. It hurts you, being out on the battlefield, doing to other innocent towns what was done to yours. If the Evil Horde taught you anything, though, it’s that you do what you must to survive. Still, the bloodshed weighs on your soul.

Eventually, you’re approached by a cadet from another group, who says that Shadow Weaver wants to see you. Your heart sinks, and fear grips your stomach. Shadow Weaver is notoriously horrifying, a master of manipulation and deceit. She’s known for her cruelty, and you’re sure that you’re done for. When you see her, it’s short, sweet, and simple: you’re being reassigned to assist a few of your fellow Force Captains in returning a deserter to the Horde for punishment. That’s all you’re told, and you’re sent away. You try to hide your fear as you exit quickly, heart pounding. Once you’re far enough away from Shadow Weaver’s lair, you lean heavily on the wall, holding your face in your hands and shaking. You figure you’ll be safe-- you didn’t see anyone down this hallway. You only need a few moments to yourself. Nobody will see you being weak here.

You close your eyes and take several deep, steadying breaths, trying to calm down. You rationalize to yourself that this isn’t a tough assignment, that your moving up and getting responsibility can be beneficial, that you’ll be okay. As hard as you try, you can’t deny your apprehension. All you ever wanted was to lie low and stay safe. You never wanted to be in the spotlight. You sigh and give your head a little shake, heart starting to return to a normal beat.

A rough tap on your head and a muffled shout make you flinch and jump back into the wall. You look up, heart racing once again, and see a Force Captain in front of you, looking quite pissed. She must have been trying to get your attention, and you didn’t hear her. You scramble for something to say, but she cuts you off before you can speak.

“What are you, deaf? I said, ‘what are you doing’!”

You straighten up, try to force a calm exterior, and explain that you were just catching a moment’s rest after a long day. The other Force Captain eyes your badge and cocks an eyebrow.

“You must be my new assistant. I’m Catra.” You expect her to offer a hand for a shake, but she never does. She seems annoyed that you’re even here. Maybe she doesn’t want an “assistant”. 

Catra’s ears twitch and she looks down the hall. You follow her gaze to see a tall, muscular woman with scorpion claws waving enthusiastically. She has a Force Captain badge, too, and you assume that this is your other work partner. Catra seems to have noticed your delayed response to Scorpia’s greeting, and she looks suspicious. You swallow nervously. Of course you get assigned to work with a soldier who’s got keen animal hearing. You know you’ll have to try harder than you ever have had to before in order to not be discovered by Catra. 

Scorpia introduces herself cheerfully, and she does offer a hand-- or claw tip-- to shake. You do so, and she turns to walk back down the hallway she came. Catra follows behind you two as Scorpia chats about their mission and how excited she is to go to this new kingdom in pursuit of the traitor rebel. The three of you, along with a few cadets, load supplies into your transport vehicle. You stay silent through the whole thing, straining your ears to try and hear everything, and not get caught off guard again. Catra keeps her eyes on you the whole time, watching your every movement, and it makes you nervous.

Really nervous.

Night falls as you head out for your destination. You make your way down to your bunk, where you’ll be sleeping for the foreseeable future. The rest of the crew seems to have gone to bed, save the night workers, who are keeping the vehicle running. In front of the small, transport barracks door stands Catra, leaning casually against the wall. You tense up, but try to hold your head high, acting confident as you get closer to the door. Catra smirks at you and pushes the door open with one hand, holding it for you to enter. You give her a nod and thank her, walking briskly past her and into the room. To your dismay, she follows, closing the door behind her.

“I’ve been watching you.” She sits on your bed, looking up at you like she wants you to sit too. You do as she silently instructs. 

“You really can’t hear, huh.” 

You wince. Your eyes start to water. You know this is curtains for you. Before you can stop yourself, you start to babble, motioning and fidgeting with your hands. You spill your guts to Catra, trying to defend yourself, justify yourself for hiding for so long. You tell her about how lonely and scared you’ve been for years, trying to hide who you are to stay alive. You tell her about how much you miss your friends and family and home, and what it’s like to have suddenly been so alone, with no one who cares about you. 

Catra watches you until you stop babbling to make room for full on sobbing-- quietly, as you’ve taught yourself to do. You flinch when she lays a gentle hand on your shoulder, looking away for the first time since you saw her in the hall. 

“Nobody should be isolated like that.” She speaks with conviction, as though she knows just what it feels like to be alone. Her hand tenses on your shoulder and she frowns before letting you go and looking over at you once more. “I’ll keep your secret. I’ll be your ears. You can count on me.”

For the first time since you were abducted by the Horde, you crack a small smile. After a brief pause to process Catra’s promise, you lunge toward her and hug her tight. She stiffens and leans away, uncomfortable with the sudden contact, but she pats you on the back before pushing you away.

You finally have a friend.


End file.
